15:40 Newmarket

Saturday 22 July 2023

All14:3015:0515:4016:1516:5017:25

Lettergold Handicap

Off time: 15:41 | Winning time: 1m 39.9s

Settings

Selected odds by:

(13)

Justice Protecol¹³³

Age: 4| Weight: 10-2| J: Benoit D L Sayette| T: I Mohammed| OR: 99| D

40/1

Useful and progressive handicapper who gained fourth win from last 5 starts when successful on dirt at Jebel Ali (1m) in March. Returns to these shores operating from career-high mark but his task is to prove himself as effective on turf.

Form: 21-1211

(7)

Bopedro⁸

Age: 7| Weight: 10-2| J: Hollie Doyle| T: D O'Meara| OR: 99| D

8/1

Irish Cambridgeshire winner in 2021 who struck for this yard on the Rowley Mile course here in April. Has run well whilst shaping as though 7f is an inadequate test on 2 of his last 3 starts and the return to 1m rates a plus. Visor discarded.

Form: 176267

(6)

Bass Player^t²³

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: Daniel Muscutt| T: Tom Clover| OR: 92

25/1

Doncaster maiden winner (7f) on debut who quickly made up in to a useful performer thereafter last term. However, yet to scale same heights so far this term and others arrive with more pressing claims despite an easing mark.

Form: 049-765

(10)

Indemnify^h1¹⁴

Age: 4| Weight: 9-9| J: K T O'Neill| T: Alice Haynes| OR: 92| D

16/1

Made light of an 8-month absence to land 9-runner Sandown handicap (1m) in May. Changed hands for £125,000 after and encouragement to glean from his fifth back at that track/trip 14 days ago, arguably doing too much too soon. Ought to be more to come on back of just 8 career starts.

Form: 2120-15

(3)

First View^p³⁵

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: K Shoemark| T: S bin Suroor| OR: 90| D

14/1

Lightly raced for age and proved better than ever when landing London Mile at Kempton in September. Below par both starts in Meydan earlier this year but entitled to come forward for his run at Sandown (1m) in June. Cheekpieces refitted now.

Form: 710-009

(1)

One Nation^p³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: James Doyle| T: C Appleby| OR: 98| C

9/1

Dual winner (latterly here) last season and acquitted himself well from the front twice at up to 10f in Meydan earlier this year. However, offered very little back from 4 months off in last month's Britannia Stakes at the Royal Meeting. Needs to leave that well behind to figure.

Form: 823-220

(12)

Hafeet Alain²³

Age: 7| Weight: 9-7| J: Connor Planas⁽⁵⁾| T: E Walker| OR: 90| CD

6/1

Represents a yard in good form and relished the return to front-running tactics to land a C&D handicap under today's pilot last month, in command over 1f out and kept up to work. Remains with handicapping scope but this undoubtedly tougher.

Form: 050641

(4)

Liberty Lane²⁸

Age: 3| Weight: 9-7| J: S H James| T: K R Burke| OR: 98| D

17/2

Impressive winner on sole start at 2yrs and built on that when runner-up behind Waipiro on return in April. Far from disgraced in Dante next time but he'll need to settle better than he did in Golden Gates Handicap at Royal Ascot (10f) latest. Ease in trip may help and he's still low mileage.

Form: 1-270

(11)

Dutch Decoy¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-7| J: Oliver Stammers| T: C Johnston| OR: 90| CD

5/1

Five-time 7f/1m winner in 2022 (twice over C&D). Knocking firmly on the door in recent starts, likely to have gone close had he not been so far back when third at Sandown (1m) 2 weeks ago. Worth considering from same mark in present groove.

Form: 454223

(2)

Havana Blue²²

Age: 3| Weight: 9-2| J: J P Fahy| T: C G Cox| OR: 93| C

6/1

Opened his account in 7f handicap on the Rowley Mile in May and progressed again when following up in good style on this course (7f, good) recently. More needed up 6 lb but he's clearly progressive and completely unexposed at 1m. Lots to like.

Form: 23-2811

(8)

Saxon King³⁰

Age: 3| Weight: 9-1| J: Andrea Atzeni| T: C Hills| OR: 92| D

3/1

Good type physically who is steadily progressive, gaining third career success at Chester (7.6f) in June. Not seen to best effect in unfavoured group when midfield in Britannia at the Royal Meeting and feasible to think he could have more to offer on back of just 8 starts.

Form: 21-1310

(5)

Maysong^p¹⁴

Age: 6| Weight: 9-0| J: Shariq Mohd⁽⁷⁾| T: Alice Haynes| OR: 83| D

25/1

Building up a good record under this pilot, holding off Dutch Decoy when back to winning ways at Sandown (1m) in June. Hard to knock his efforts from career-high mark either start since but the assessor may just have him right.

Form: 360137

Non-Runners

(9)

Bear Force One³¹

Weight: 9-13| Age: 7

T: R A Teal J: Lewis Edmunds

Forecasts

Saxon King (3/1), Dutch Decoy (5/1), Hafeet Alain (6/1), Havana Blue (6/1), Bopedro (8/1), Liberty Lane (17/2), One Nation (9/1), Bear Force One (12/1), First View (14/1), Indemnify (16/1), Maysong (25/1), Bass Player (25/1), Justice Protecol (40/1)

A number arrive with claims, including progressive HAVANA BLUE. Clive Cox's 3-y-o posted a career-best effort when doubling his tally over 7f here 3 weeks ago and, totally unexposed at 1m, he could well be up to completing the hat-trick. Dutch Decoy is knocking firmly on the door and he's feared, along with Saxon King and Indemnify.